Lexington will be the first major sale for Alliance Bloodstock, the joint venture between Boni and Diamond Creek
by Dave Briggs
Fresh off his induction into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in July, bloodstock agent Bob Boni is proving he’s not close to slowing down. In fact, this year Boni has embarked on a joint venture with Diamond Creek Farm to sell horses under the Alliance Bloodstock banner.
Alliance sold its first batch of horses at the Ohio Selected Jug Sale on Sept. 12 – a group of 10 yearlings that included the highest-priced pacer, McWallen, a daughter of Downbytheseaside that sold to Greg Luther for $115,000 — but the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale will be the first big sale for the new venture.
“[Diamond Creek owner] Adam [Bowden] came to me three or four years ago and we talked about doing something [together] and something came up that we couldn’t quite get solved,” Boni said. “Last year in Lexington, we talked again and we decided to go forward with [Alliance]. I think it’s the best of both worlds.”
In short, Diamond Creek – which sold its own yearlings and some for others as an agent for many years – can focus more energy on raising and racing horses while expanding its sales business via Boni’s expertise. For 36 years, Boni has sold horses, first through his International Standardbred agency and then through his Northwood Bloodstock, one of the top standardbred sales agencies.
“I think [Alliance] is a good opportunity and this will be a good launch and I think from here forward we can really capitalize when people see what we’re doing,” Boni said. “I feel it’s my expertise and a lot of detail along with a lot of very good, very exciting young people that have a lot of energy, who want to do things right.
“It’s going to be a learning curve this year at the sale, with the presentation. I’ve done things a certain way and, even though these are very young people, they also feel they have an idea for what has to be done. I look at it this way to a certain extent: it’s kind of like having an offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, the special teams coach, the quarterback coach – they all have their responsibilities… and, hopefully, I can bring it all together.”
Alliance will sell some 50 horses at this year’s Lexington sale and some 80 more at the Standardbred Horse Sales Company’s yearling auction in Harrisburg, PA that runs Nov. 3 through 5.
From Alliance’s Lexington consignment, Boni touted several of the seven it is selling on opening night.
“I’m anxious to see the reception because there are not that many pacing colts that first day and we’ve got quite a few,” Boni said. “We’ve got a Captaintreacherous colt out of Scarlett Hanover first foal [Hip #2 Capt Valentine Sgt] and we’ve got a Captaintreacherous filly out of a sister to Warrawee Ubeaut [Hip #28 Sister Girl Blues out of Warrawee Youknow]. [Warrawee Ubeaut’s] colt, a Tall Dark Stranger, just paced in :49.4 and won the Kentucky Sires Stakes final.”
Boni said he’s also, “very anxious to see the response to the Bulldog Hanover filly out of Beach Gal [Hip #42 Zitch Dog Sgt].
“Then, we’ve got a Sweet Lou colt with a lot of pedigree, Hip #91 [Seine]… he’s got a great video.
“Hip #98 Deadline, is an Always B Miki colt out of the dam of Be Perfect BG, that’s the Perfect Sting filly.”
Alliance is selling horses in each of the five Lexington sessions. All told, fewer than 20 of 53 Alliance yearlings were bred by Diamond Creek, one of the top breeding farms in the sport.
“It’s exciting right now and we’re just getting all of the little details lined up,” Boni said.
